


kenma's tree

by basilleia



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-29 12:34:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7684726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basilleia/pseuds/basilleia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>kenma likes the view from the tree. </p><p>in more ways than one. </p><p>-</p><p>In which Kenma like to sit in a tree, and draw, and one of his drawings flew down, and into the lap of his subject.</p>
            </blockquote>





	kenma's tree

**Author's Note:**

> ??? IDK WHAT THIS IS LOL MY BAD HOPE GUYS FIND IT CUTE ANYWAY READ MY OTHER FIC aka caught in the act its BOKUAKA ok nice 
> 
> -Basil

Kenma liked the view from the top. 

He liked the tranquility of sitting in t tall branch, hidden from plain sght, as he watched everything that bustled around the park below him.

Well- he hated climbing it sure, but it was all worth it. He sat there, sometimes just looking around, quietly observing, or maybe he'd have headphones stuck in his ears, his hand-held device sitting comfortably in his hands. 

Or, on some occasions, he'd sit there, a pencil poised over his sketchbook, drawing whatever came to mind, and other times, he'd have a live reference. 

Kenma was surprised one summer afternoon, when a stranger approached the tree, _his_ tree, and sat below him, a backpack in tow. 

He frowned. What was this guy doing? This was the one place where he could be alone, and now here this person was, invading his privacy.

Well, it wasn't like Kenma owned the tree, but he had taken a liking to it. A sweet escape from the world, for him to forget about his problems. 

He opened his mouth- and did a double-take. He hated confrontation. And so, much to his annoyance, he kept his mouth shut and stared, peering around at all the books that now surrounded bed-head. 

Kenma hated to admit it, but the guy was good-looking. Even with the hair that stood up in all different kinds of directions, he'd managed to make it work somehow- with an angular face and a jaw that looked like it would cut through steel. 

Before he knew it, Kenma was grabbing for the worn out leather of his sketchbook, the edges sides stained by watercolor and charcoal.

At first, he started out with careful strokes, trying to draw it exactly from his point of view. He tried his best to be quiet, and resisted the urge to wipe his hand over the erasures to avoid catching the attention of the crafty-looking guy. 

He didn't know how much time had passed, but before he knew it, it was getting dark, and his subject was packing up his things and leaving.

He waited for him to walk away, and when it seemed a good distance from the tree, Kenma carefully climbed down, landing softly on his feet. 

-

The next day, Kenma was annoyed to see the stranger sitting underneath the tree.

He couldn't climb it now, that'd be weird. So he opted for a bench. -And the view was not the same from his spot on the tree-branch. 

Obviously he wouldn't give up his spot _that _easily. So he came to a decision of coming slightly earlier than his usually time, despite the effort. But at the very least, he'd get his time up there.__

__He still drew, despite the nuisance that hindered him._ _

__After an internal struggle with himself, he gave in and started on the outline of Slovenly's (he had decided to call the stranger that, due to the questionable hairstyle) physique._ _

__In the middle of his work, a little girl came up and stood in front of him, her hands locked together as they rested on her front. Kenma waited patiently for her to say something._ _

__"Why're you not in your tree today?" She uttered._ _

__"I- um... what?"_ _

__"Your tree. Y'know? That one!" She pointed. "Why are you not sitting in your branch?"_ _

__Oh. "You noticed?"_ _

__"I think anyone would notice a fully-grown man climbing a tree."_ _

__Kenma flushed. "Right."_ _

__"What's your name?"_ _

__"Kenma."_ _

__"Kenma-san, huh? Well, my name's Emi. Sakurako Emi."_ _

__"Nice to meet you, Emi."_ _

__"What'cha up to?"_ _

__"Drawing."_ _

__"Can I see?"_ _

__"No."_ _

__"Awww, why not?"_ _

__"I'm not comfortable."_ _

__"But we're friends now!"_ _

__"I never agreed to that."_ _

__"You're mean."_ _

__"You approached me."_ _

__"Cos' I thought you'd be nice!"_ _

__Kenma hummed._ _

__"Sorry, I'm not very good at communicating."_ _

__"Communicating? -Talking, you mean."_ _

__"Yeah, that."_ _

__"Why not?"_ _

__Kenma shrugged. After a moment, the little girl talked again._ _

__"Hey, would you mind drawing me?" Emi asked, surprisingly timid._ _

__Kenma looked at her. Then glanced back down at his current drawing. -There's always a next time, he guessed._ _

__"Sure. Stay put."_ _

__"Okay!"_ _

__And there she sat, aimlessly talking, and Kenma quietly listened, giving a nod of his head and sounds of acknowledgement along the way._ _

__"I'm done."_ _

__"Yay! Can I see?" Kenma looked at her, big eyes shining with excitement, and with a moment's hesitation, motioned for the younger to move closer._ _

__She looked at the drawing, suddenly growing quiet, eyes scanning over the picture._ _

__It made Kenma nervous._ _

__"Sorry, do you not like it?"_ _

__She didn't reply._ _

__"Look, I'm not the best artist, so I'm really sorry if it didn't turn out the way you'd hoped-"_ _

__"It's... pretty. Really pretty. Is- is that really me?"_ _

__Kenma bit his cheek to prevent the smile tugging on the corners of his mouth._ _

__"Yes. I'm glad you like it."_ _

__"Kenma-san, why does it not have any color?"_ _

__"I suppose I could color it."_ _

__"Okay!"_ _

__"Tomorrow."_ _

__Kenma heard a loud whine, and he stopped himself from chuckling. "Why?"_ _

__"It's late, I need to get going."_ _

__"Aww, bye-bye, Kenma-san!"_ _

__Kenma gave little wave as he finished putting the last of his materials in his pencil case and carefully placed it in his backpack, turning around to head out of the park._ _

__Emi scurried over to her uncle once her new friend was out of sight. "Uncle Kuroo, he said his name was Kenma. Kozume Kenma. He's kinda rude, but he told me he was really bad at communicating, whatever that means.- But I like him! I asked him to draw me. He said he'll give it to me tomorrow, since he still needs to color it. But you shoulda seen it! It was amazing, even though he just did it with a pencil! Wow!" she was slightly out of breath as she finished talking, but a big smile painted her face._ _

__Kuroo reached over to ruffle his niece's hair. "Great job, squirt. Let's go get some ice cream."_ _

__Emi let out a loud whoop of excitement._ _

__"Stop shortening your words like that. -Also don't yell so much. You've been spending way too much time with Bokuto."_ _

__-_ _

__Kenma overslept. -He overslept and once he arrived at the park, Slovenly was already there, studying (though Kenma wndered what on earth he would be studying in the middle of summer,)._ _

__He was annoyed at himself. Why had he slept in? Now he didn't get to sit in his tree again._ _

__He let out a low growl of annoyance, dragging himself over to the bench where he sat yesterday, a familiar face in sight._ _

__The little girl waved her tiny arms, braids whipping around. "Kenma-san, I'm over here!"_ _

__Once he sat down, slumping slightly, Emi immediately jumped into a conversation._ _

__"Kenma-san! Do you have it? The drawing? Can I see?" She said- prolonging the last syllable._ _

__Wordlessly, he carefully pulled out the piece of paper he tore out from his sketchbook and handed it to her._ _

__She let out a loud holler, something along the lines of exhilaration and surprise. "Waah! This is really pretty! Way prettier than yesterday! And I didn't even know that was possible! How'd you do that?"_ _

__Kenma shrugged, like he always did._ _

__"Pretty!"_ _

__"Is 'pretty' the only word in your vocabulary?"_ _

__Emi's eyes snapped over to Kenma. "Uh yeah. I'm six! What do you expect?"_ _

__Kenma grumbled something along the lines of, "For a six year-old, you're a smartass."_ _

__"What?" She leaned in closer, cupping a hand over her ear._ _

__"Nothing."_ _

__"Say, Kenma-san, can you teach me more words?"_ _

__"Like what?"_ _

__"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you! You're the one that pointed out the fact that all I say is 'pretty'."_ _

__"Magnificent."_ _

__"Huh? What's that mean?"_ _

__"It's another word for pretty."_ _

__She seemed to pause in thought."Kenma-san, your eyes are magnificent."_ _

__Kenma was taken aback, but blushed nonetheless. "Thank you, Emi. I think yours are too."'_ _

__"What? no! My eyes are boring compared to yours."_ _

__"Your eyes are hazel. I think they're very-" Kenma was about to say pretty, but quickly thought of another word. "alluring."_ _

__"What does alluring mean?"_ _

__"It means it attracts attention."_ _

__"Your eyes are alluring too."_ _

__"Are you going to use every word I teach you in a sentence about my eyes?"_ _

__"I dunno. But, do you think you could draw my eyes? Everything is prettier when you draw it."_ _

__He didn't even reply, just took out his colored pencils and got to work._ _

__"Can you move a bit closer, Emi?"_ _

__She followed, and Kenma leaned to see better, and it made the smaller quiet._ _

__"Why did you stop talking?"_ _

__"I don't know, seeing you this close makes me nervous?"_ _

__Kenma drew back, an eyebrow raised, causing Emi to flounder. "N-no! Not that you're ugly or anything, but the complete opposite! My uncle's friend said something about this! He said that, when someone is too-" She paused. " _magnificent_ they tend to feel scared? Wait- no not scared that sounds rude. Something that starts with an 'I'? Inti- inti-intimi-"_ _

__"Intimidated?"_ _

__"Yes! That! He said that about his boyfriend."_ _

__"So you're intimidated because... you think I'm pretty?"_ _

__"Yeah! I mean there's already something else looking at you from afar but up close its like. Wow!"_ _

__No filter. Absolutely no filter. "Thank you, Emi."_ _

__"You're not mad?"_ _

__"No. Now come closer so I can draw you."_ _

__After he was done, he gave that to the little girl as well, and she gratefully accepted the paper._ _

__

__The afternoon was spent with them talking, and Emi taking an interest in Kenma's PSP._ _

__Emi huffed in frustration at her third try on the 4th level of a round, just about ready to throw Kenma's PSP before he quickly snatched it from her hands._ _

__"Sorry! It's just so- so- so-!"_ _

__"Annoying?"_ _

__"Yes!"_ _

__Kenma looked at the time, and it was getting late. He packed up his things and bid Emi goodbye._ _

__"Also, tomorrow, could you maybe, not approach me when I'm up int he tree?" Kenma carefully said, and Emi's eyebrows creased._ _

__"Do you- do you not like me?"_ _

__"No, of course I do. But I have a special mission tomorrow. And by not approaching me, you're helping."_ _

__"Oh! Alright! Bye-bye, Kenma-san!"_ _

__Kenma smiled, and walked away._ _

__Like yesterday, when Kenma was far enough, she walked back to her Uncle Kuroo. "Uncle! He talked more today! He taught me three new words! Magnificent, alluring, and intimidated! Kenma-san is smart! And he let me play with his PSP! Can I get a PSP for my birthday?"_ _

__Kuroo laughed. "We'll see, kiddo."_ _

__-_ _

__Kenma decided that every other day, he'd wake up earlier to sit in his tree, and on regular days he'd sit on the bench to talk to Emi. She seemed to be fine with it._ _

The other day, Kuroo asked his niece if she knew where Kenma was on the days that he wasn't with Emi on the bench. 

_"Huh? Uncle Kuroo, you haven't noticed?"_

_"Noticed what?"_

_"Have you ever looked up in the branches?"_

_"Under the tree I've been sitting in?"_

_"Yeah! Kenma-san likes to sit there and draw- or atleast that's what I think he does. I'm not too sure, he never lets me see his sketchbook, he only lets me see what I tell him to draw. But recently he hasn't been going up as much as he used to, I don't know why. I noticed him before you started coming with me and it was Mama that had to stay over and watch me. But it's alright! I get to spend more time playing now! Since we're there the whole day."_

_Kuroo decided to experiment one day, -figuring out the pattern of when he'd appear and when he didn't-, and stayed somewhere near the entrance from the other side of the park, and chuckled when he saw the blonde-boy's eyes widen with happiness and he scurried over to climb the tree._

__Kuroo never looked up even when he knew Kenma would be there, he figured that if he wasn't making himself known, then it was best that he paid him no mind._ _

__Even though everyday it became increasingly harder to do so, especially with Emi telling Kuroo all about him._ _

__Today was a day where Kenma had to wake up early so he could climb the tree. He'd been doing it for the past week or so, and though it still annoyed him that he even had to wake up early, he was just glad he got to spend time in his branch._ _

__Much to Kenma's dismay, his sketchbook was filled of drawings and sketches of Slovenly, even some loose papers peeking from the side._ _

__While looking through his pencilcase, the wind blew, and one of his papers flew from the pages of his journal._ _

__"Fuck!" Kenma cursed, as it drifted all the way down._ _

___Right next to Slovenly._ _ _

__Kuroo was surprised when he looked over to see what had fallen._ _

__It was a drawing. Of him. And the colors were beautiful. Kuroo wondered if this was what Emi was talking about when she said that Kenma made everything much more _magnificent_ when he drew it. _ _

__He picked up, and tilted his head backwards to see a very stressed-looking Kenma._ _

__"I was wondering when you'd let up." Kuroo spoke._ _

__Kenma didn't say anything, just looked down, and he was sure that his internal turmoil was reflected on his face._ _

__Why was Kenma so unlucky? Of course the wind just had to blow and make his presence-_ _

__Wait._ _

__"What?"_ _

__"I've known you were up there for a while now. Just never knew what you were doing. Now I do, I guess." A smirk graced Kuroo's features._ _

__If Kenma was pink before, he was pretty sure he could pass for a stop sign now. "How'd you know?"_ _

__"I have my ways."_ _

__And then, Kenma realized._ _

__The inky-black hair, the hazel eyes, and upturned nose._ _

__Emi was related to- well, whoever this guy was._ _

__"You realize how creepy you sound, right?"_ _

__"W-what? No, not that I stalk you, or anything- H-hey! I'm not the one who drew a person without them knowing! Quite frighteningly real too! Doesn't that take like, a lot of practice or something?"_ _

__"Or something."_ _

__"Don't you wanna get down from there?"_ _

__"No, I quite like it here."_ _

__"I can come up there instead."_ _

__"No. The branch will break and so will my neck."_ _

__"C'mon I'm not that heavy."_ _

__"Are too."_ _

__"Are not."_ _

__"Are too."_ _

__"Are not."_ _

__"Are too."_ _

__A pause._ _

__"Are too."_ _

__"Fine, okay whatever. How would you even know that?"_ _

__"You're like, 6'1. You look like you play a sport. Sports means muscle. Muscle means food. Food means carbs."_ _

__"How would you even know how tall I am? Or the fact that I play a sport even-?"_ _

__Kenma's eyes widened._ _

__"Unless, you've looked at me way too many times to be able to count." Kuroo had an arrogant smirk on his face that Kenma would just love to ki-, he meant, slap off._ _

__"That's not true."_ _

__"Is it not?"_ _

__"It's not."_ _

__"Okay."_ _

__"Okay."_ _

__Kuroo was happy, he's finally talking to him! Him, who had seemed impossibly out of his league just minutes before._ _

__"Hey, Pud. Do you mind? My neck is going to go stiff from looking up like this."_ _

__"First, don't call me Pud. I have a name. - And I'm surprised it isn't considering the amount of time you spend reading all those textbooks."_ _

__"Sorry. You've really been looking at me a lot, huh?"_ _

__"Get that lilt out of your voice."_ _

__"What. You mean this?" Kuroo did it again._ _

__"Yes, that."_ _

__"Whatever you say." Still not getting rid of the teasing tone._ _

__Kenma sighed. "You haven't asked for my name."_ _

__"I already know it."_ _

__"What is it then?- And don't give me one of those bullshit answers like, 'beautiful' or something. I'll never speak to you again if you do that."_ _

__"Damn, okay. Kenma, right? Kozume Kenma."_ _

__"Stop pretending like you don't already know."_ _

__Kuroo howled. "Emi was right, you are mean."_ _

__"I'm not mean, just sarcastic. I know your name too by the way."_ _

__"What? Did you ask Emi?"_ _

__"Nope, I didn't even know you were related until today, when I really _really_ looked at you. Your name is Slovenly."_ _

__"Slove- as in.. disheveled? Why?"_ _

__"You have a questionable choice of hairstyle."_ _

__"That's rude."_ _

__"Then why are you trying not to laugh?"_ _

__"Cos you're funny!"_ _

__"If you wanted to laugh so bad why didn't you just look in the mirror?"_ _

__"You're a savage."_ _

__"I know."_ _

__There was a comfortable silence._ _

__"It's Kuroo, by the way. Tetsurou Kuroo."_ _

__"Nice to meet you. Do you wanna buy me some coffee?"_ _

__"That's a very subtle way of asking me out on a date."_ _

__"One, I genuinely want coffee. Two, it's not like you weren't going to ask me already. Why not now."_ _

__Kuroo laughed. "Sure, why not? Hurry up and get down from there before the offer expires."_ _


End file.
